Ordinary goodness can make a difference to the world

Puzzles

I have a curious and inquiring mind. I wrestle with the Big puzzles about God and life and purpose and existence and this puzzling seems to happen in a wide and expansive part of my brain.

I also wrestle on a daily basis with more minor puzzles, such as what to cook for dinner! Lots of these sorts of puzzles get worked on in the part of my brain that applies logic and consequential thinking.

However I also love crossword puzzles and my brain seems to work on these in a quiet, focused, “flow” part of my brain. One particular type of word puzzle I enjoy is called a Code Cracker

( go to www. codecrackerbooks.com for more details). Once I have cracked the initial code I can follow with little hesitation through the puzzle. I can become oblivious to time and other distractions. I feel a sense of satisfaction once the code is cracked, as well as a relaxed feeling that comes from giving my whole attention totally to one task.

Another trick I have learnt about my brain and how I function is to leave the clues I cannot solve initially in a crossword and go and do something completely different. I often return to find the answers pop instantly to mind. I find that I can use this trick to help solve other puzzles in my life that don’t always have a single, straightforward or easy answer. Time and focus on other tasks or activities can sometimes allow some other part of my brain to come up with an answer or a variety of answers to choose from.

I am interested in hearing about puzzles you enjoy and ways in which your brain works to help you solve puzzles.